Yves Giraud - Kahnu

Colonel Spade got up and asked for everyone’s attention. Reaching for the large flat screen, he pointed at a set of round colored patches on a map of Earth. Everyone in the room was now silent.

“What the enemy obviously neglected to realize was that the number of deaths would be so great and would take place in such a short amount of time, that the rotting bodies, and I apologize for the visual, would accelerate the spread of the disease, and even give it strength. The devastation is not only going to affect all living organisms around the globe, but the ground and waters are also being contaminated as the virus keeps spreading across the continents, riding the winds and air currents through the atmosphere.”

“What about the oceans?” asked someone.

“As far as I know, it can also thrive in water. I have to assume the epidemic is going to spread to them too. I’m afraid its growth is unstoppable. Within the next two months, every continent and ocean will have been contaminated.”

“Are you telling us that nothing can be done to stop this? How long will this epidemic last? And how many casualties do you expect worldwide?” suddenly asked General Glenn with obvious frustrated.

Turning to the military man, Dr. Byrd took off his reading glasses and let out a heavy sigh, “I’m afraid it’s worse than you realize, General. I don’t expect anyone to survive this. Even us, in this room, it’s only a matter of time. This is what we call a global killer. And it’s not just us humans and our civilization that will perish. What I am saying is that within a year, maybe even less, every living creature on our planet will be dead, including us.”

Voices erupted in the room.

“What?”

“That can’t be!”

“Oh God!”

“That’s impossible!”

After the calm had returned, Colonel Spade took over.

“I think you underestimate this place, Doctor. This bunker was built to resist a nuclear strike. We’re two hundred fifty-five feet underground and have enough food and supplies for several hundred people to last down here for years.”

“Even if we do, the world above is dying. It will take generations to come back from this, hundreds of years even. And that’s a best-case scenario. Life on Earth may never recover from this.” Doctor Byrd sat back in his seat. His face betrayed the same sense of defeat they were all feeling.

There was really nothing much they could do at this point. During the next few days, a few hundred more survivors made their way to the colder regions of continent. Aside from its few facilities in the Alaskan state, the country gradually ceased to function. One by one, power plants shut down and the American cities were plunged back into darkness.

Eventually, a satellite feeds were re-established, allowing the President and his staff to assess the extent of the damage.

Several satellite views were scrolling on the wall in front of the small assembly.

“What is that? These dots everywhere?” someone asked, pointing to an overhead view of Manhattan in New York.

“I’m afraid those are people; dead bodies to be exact,” replied the colonel. “It’s the same things everywhere across the country. The cities are littered with them. Same thing all the way down south America. We started to see the effects in Europe too. I’m sorry, Mr. President, I wish I had better news, but I’m sure how we’re gonna make it through this one.”

“How did it get to this? Man, the intelligent species. Millions of years of evolution, and here we are, eradicated by our own stupidity. I think I’m gonna throw up,” commented the President in discuss. He fell back in his chair and the room went silent.

Days earlier, Lars had tried to bring the Mars First outpost up to speed on the latest world events. Staring at the small webcam on his computer monitor, he looked as if he had aged several decades in only a few days. His hair was a mess, it was obvious he had not shaved for the past few days, and the bags under his eyes attested to his lack of sleep.

“I don’t know how to say this, but it’s bad, really bad. The Chinese attacked America five days ago. From what I heard, hundreds of small planes entered the US airspace and released a chemical weapon over the whole country. Reports on the situation there are devastating. It’s horrible. I can’t even wrap my head around it yet. It all happened so fast… The entire country has stopped functioning. Every communication has ceased since Tuesday. The last reports say that more than half the population has been affected. Millions are already dead! The entire country is a disaster zone. No one knows for sure how far the virus will spread, but it’s moving fast. Central and South America have been affected as well. Millions are reported dead there too. It appears nothing can stop this thing. God! What a mess…”

He brushed his fingers through his uncombed hair.

“But that’s not all…” He paused a moment, staring at the ceiling, trying to hold back tears of despair. “They say the virus is a deadly lab experiment, some crazy biological monster, concocted by the Americans themselves, a few years back. Apparently, the Chinese got a hold of it somehow, and engineered their own supped up version. But they it appears they have underestimated how dangerous this thing is. The virus is going to keep moving across the whole American continent, but it is not going to stop there. It’s spreading hundreds of square kilometers within hours, even over water. Last night, they were talking about Ireland being touched already. I just got off the phone with Miles Waffenson, an astrophysicist I knew back in college. He said London is turning into a giant graveyard, and he doesn’t expect to make it through the night. From what they can tell, there’s nothing anyone can do to stop this epidemic, and there’s no time to evacuate. There’s nowhere to go, anyway… At this rate, this horror will be on us by this afternoon. Within a week, it will have spread over the entire planet. We’re all fucked! I’m sorry. I wish I had better news…”

He stared at the screen for a moment again, numb. Turning his attention to a picture of the twelve colonists taken before just before the launch of MF1 nine years earlier, he wished more than ever he could be there with them.

“I know this is hard to take. But it looks like you are the only ones safe from this carnage, now… This might be the end of our civilization. Maybe even of all life on Earth…” He paused once more.

“These freaking idiots! What a waste… The human race, modern civilization. What a joke! A sad joke. Power and greed got the best of us. I guess we got what we deserved…” Fear and sadness showed on his tortured face, even more so now.

“I guess I may as well tell you about MF3. They… before they left, there was a…” Looking at the ceiling again, he held back the tears best he could and tried to regain his composure. “We didn’t know. We only found out aft—” He was suddenly interrupted by someone off camera view. After an apparent exchange of annoyed whispers, he gave a reluctant nod and spoke again.

“I’m afraid I have to go. I wish there was something else I could say or do, but I’m afraid you are on your own now. Obviously, there won’t be any more cargo ships sent your way, so make sure to maintain the base the best you can. You’ve made it this far, I know you will manage. Dream big and build something grand! I wish I could be there with you… At least, I’ll die knowing you are up there, creating a new world. A second chance to—”

Sylvia entered the room and rushed to his desk, a note in her hand. She placed it right in front of him. She looked frantic.

He took a glance at it and his face went pale.